Organised by Beirut Art Residency (BAR), the exhibition Before the Cypress Broke is a fundraising exhibition that was initiated in response to the recent catastrophic events that have taken place in Beirut, Lebanon.
Bringing together works by contemporary Lebanese artists and past BAR artists-in-residence, the exhibition combines works on paper, photography and videography depicting personal investigations of artists in relation to the city.
The title of the show refers to a poem by Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish entitled The Cypress Broke, in which the aftermath of an event is being questioned while life continues its course.
Lebanese-Armenian artist Jacques, brings forth his acrylic on canvas painting Prelude to Reversal, depicting a figure lying in a complex environment, becoming one and rendering chaotic motion more stable and predictable. The work reflects the current uncertain circumstances in Lebanon and questions the creation of order out of randomness and the relationship between visual representations and contemporary socio-political situations.
Work on view by Jacques Vartabedian:
Prelude to Reversal, 2020
156 cm x 155 cm
Acrylic on canvas